Fantasy RPG Forum - Standing Trials

When Navyri had left his house in a rage two nights ago, there had been part of him that had wondered if she was coming back. And yet, it had been her idea from the start and she clearly needed him enough to have asked him in the first place. But despite her parting anger, or more like frustration, it had hardly bothered him when he spent the next day finalizing his supplies for the trip they were about to make. It had been different. She hadn’t held the same sway over him as she had before. But more importantly, there was something he knew he had about him that she wanted. And that made all the difference.

The packing of supplies was uneventful. Brent was well accustomed to short trips on horseback around Melrath and sleeping outside in a tent. He was more concerned about packing light so that he wouldn’t overburden Sinir, the sleipnir he kept. Tony, the old packhorse, would need to be looked after by Ted. Brent was still a bit curt with his brother but Ted refrained from bringing up the previous night’s events and agreed to take care of the packhorse. It was at that point that the elder brother asked Brent how long he’d be away. The cartographer wasn’t sure, but vaguely responded that he’d aim to visit in a year or two.

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Brent hadn’t really expected to be leaving Melrath like this. Sinir was restless as Brent loaded up the saddlebags on the winged horse. When would he visit Lake Svariella again and see how the town had grown? And what about his friends in Alivilda? The local Aesir? He had made a couple of goodbyes the previous day but what about those he hadn’t been able to see? What about Ashling? Was she wondering what had happened to him? He hadn’t spent much time in Fensalir apart from the brief start and end to the ‘Great Journey’ tournament. Was she still doing her medicines and herbs there?

Even though he knew he wanted to travel light, it was strange leaving so much behind. He hoped that Colin would fare okay with the business in his absence. Together they had created enough maps to cover most of the key places in Melrath, and he trusted the young man to produce good copies of his work. And now he was going away to see the world and discover far more than he had ever in his lifetime. All with a winged horse and a winged lady. A friend.

The food that he had packed was mostly a combination of dried and salted meat along with hard biscuits. Not the most lavish but very practical for travel. He also carried a waterskin and a small pot for cooking. The tent and food were probably the heaviest and were strapped near the sleipnir’s flanks. He had left space for a bedroll, to be tied on with some rope that could serve double duty. His mapping supplies were in a small bag slung over his shoulder, which included his spyglass and compass. The leather armour was light enough to wear and he had a small dagger on a belt and his quiver of arrows on his back. He only brought one set of clothing, the garments he was wearing, although he did pack a warm coat which could double as a blanket. His choices were highly functional, and even still he was worried about how it would weigh upon his sleipnir.

“How’s that, my friend? Up for a grand adventure?” Brent spoke as he patted the sleipnir’s flank. The creature was a little bit restless, not used to the baggage in addition to the saddle. They were taking a big leap. Brent had only ridden Sinir for a couple seasons and now they were leaving Melrath to travel the world.

The twilight was just beginning to lift as one of the suns began making its appearance over the thick woods of Myrkvior. Brent had already said his goodbyes to Ted the night before. The elder brother still thought Brent was being foolish, and voiced his thoughts, but it was more of a statement than an attempt to change his mind.

Standing with Sinir on the small dirt road in front of his house, Brent had a moment of apprehension. What if he really had pushed her too far with his timeline? No, she had said it herself. She would be there. She needed him. It wasn’t just for a second pair of eyes to keep watch and to keep up at her winged speed. She had said that she was going through some things mentally after being in prison. Of course she did. Melrath had not been kind to her. Well that would have to come with time, with the first step leaving the place that had done her harm. It was time for both of them to take flight.

When she arrived, he was genuinely surprised with how little she carried. Of course, she would be traveling under her own physical exertion so it made sense. Yet in contrast to the way she had talked about all the things he’d need, she only had a back pack and small paper bag. Maybe she had seen the light.

Early. He was used to such comments. However, he didn’t comment as he calmly took the bag pressed to him and was led a few paces away from Sinir. He assumed she was still anxious around the creature, and to her fortune, the winged horse mostly stayed put when he dropped the reins as it went off to the side of the road to graze.

We need to talk.

Shit. Those were probably the four worst words to come out of a woman’s mouth. He noticeably tensed as he prepared for whatever onslaught she had prepared. Yet when she did speak, and about his brother quite understandably, it wasn’t with the rage or passion he had initially thought.

“It’s… It will be fine.” Brent answered. Maybe not quite resolved, but good enough.

Yet when she made her offer he was suddenly unsure. He knew quite certainly what she meant. A similar mirror pair as what he had once had with Navyri herself. But when he had said his goodbyes to Ted, he was saying them as though he would be gone for at least a few seasons. Did he even want to be able to talk to Ted while he was gone from Melrath? And would Ted want anything to do with the power of an Immortal? Or something that Navyri had produced? All things considering, though, it was an offer from Navyri he had not expected. More generous than he had thought from her.

“I think… he will accept it. Although if you’ll excuse me, I will refrain from mentioning the source of its power. It is, um, very kind of you to think of such a thing, Navyri.” Brent replied in a hesitant although grateful manner.

He would wait patiently for her to conduct whatever marking was needed of the two small mirrors. He was curious of her power, yet still remained cautious. Afterwards, he would politely excuse himself into the house. Ted was not awake yet, since it was just about the crack of dawn, but Brent left the small mirror on the dining table and scrawled a quick note.

Brother to brother, keep this mirror close should we ever have need to communicate.

When Brent returned outside he smiled at the mention of breakfast. “I’ll split one if you like, but I’ve already had something to eat. Anything else, we can save for lunch on the road. Or, er, air. Something.” He offered the open bag to Navyri, should she want one. They certainly did smell nice and would make a good snack too.

“Let’s be on our way then.”

Brent strode over to where Sinir was munching on some grass and took the reins after doing one last mental check of all his belongings. Swinging one leg over the horse, he situated himself just below the wing joint, so his legs had some place to go and would line up with the stirrups. Nudging the sleipnir into a walk, he started down the road. With one last look at his house, he gave another sharp squeeze of his legs and moved into a trot. Faster and faster until a gust of wind and wings took them into the air, while Brent held on tightly to the horn of the saddle.

They were off. There was a nicker from Sinir as he tossed his head, straining a little under the increased load. But all in all, Brent got the feeling that they’d manage. Plus any extended travel would require multiple breaks and rests in between. It was just the first leg of the journey.

Looking around and over his shoulder Brent tried to see how Navyri was faring. Of course, she was probably far more used to flying than he was. Even the slightest bank of Sinir’s wings caused him to tighten up as the ground got smaller below. Glancing around, Brent spotted the rising sun. Southeast to pass the mountains, then east. Follow the rising sun to Etzos.

The cinnamon roll was a pleasant treat, although Brent seemed more interested in Navyri’s look of enjoyment soon after she took flight. It was probably just as well that she hadn’t tantalized him with her lips. Would he ever really get over her? Stop chasing shadows… There had to be some way of moving forward in all this.

Once the cartographer was in the air, however, all such thoughts fell away from his mind. He was met with the glorious view of the trees, winding river, and mountains to his right. Half the battle was staying firmly secure to his sleipnir as they soared up and sometimes banked heavily in the air. A gust of wind buffeted Sinir’s wings and a soft whispering voice spoke in his ear. Higher. Puzzled, Brent looked around and then caught sight of Navyri nearing the clouds quite a ways above them.

Brent had been keeping a low frame while riding the winged horse, and they had been gliding a good deal. This wasn’t going to be like one of their mapping flights, so they’d need to gain some altitude to cover the long distance that was planned. Brent tentatively tried pulling at the reins to get Sinir’s attention, but the winged horse seemed not to understand the cue. Trying a slightly different approach, Brent cautiously leaned back in the saddle, adjusting their weight and effectively angling them upwards. There was a sudden boost of energy from the sleipnir and Brent instinctively squeezed tightly to keep from falling off as the flapping of wings sent them hurtling into the sky.

There was a moment of exhilaration coupled with panic as the world fell away, and Brent reflexively went to grab the horn of the saddle as they leveled off, gliding once more. Almost like a chase, they flew higher in rapid little bursts. Both suns were shining now and Brent could feel the beaded sweat on his sleipnir. Fortunately, the higher altitude brought in cooler air and once they had reached Navyri’s level in the air, they were able to cruise and glide for longer lengths.

The mountains and forests looked smaller now. Almost like child toys or a painting. Alivilda was reduced to mere building blocks and Brent had an eerie recollection of a dream he had nearly an arc ago. In the distance ahead, he could see the sparkling waters of Lake Svariella and where it joined with the River Vynmur. When would he return here? He tried to capture the image in his mind’s eye hoping to someday produce a drawing or even a painting of it. The lush landscape below with the striking wings and silhouette of Navyri gliding through the sky.

Despite being able to see so far, sometimes it almost felt slower flying because the landscape moved so slowly as they passed it by. Regardless, Brent often found himself transfixed on the scenery below as if it somehow held the secrets of the land. Time was strangely still as they flew. With the rush of wind and wings, it was hard to make small talk, but Brent still kept an eye out for his companion, checking that there was never too much of a gap between them.

The steady beat and glide of the wings gave him time to think. It was only the steep banking to one side or the other, or the occasional bumpy dip that jolted him out of his thoughts. To Etzos, and then what? Once they got beyond the borders of Melrath, he’d want a somewhat slower pace to chart from above. And what about Navyri? As much as he would prefer otherwise, he’d have to plan his next steps independent from her. Traveling was one thing, but she hadn’t discussed anything beyond that. He was perhaps just a means to an end. It was disconcerting, but maybe she’d be willing to open up during their travels. She had mentioned that life had been particularly hard after Melrath had treated her the way it had. It must be a relief for her to finally leave.

Brent, on the other hand, had a mix of apprehension and keen curiosity as he watched the Vynmur connect to Svariella, with the Gates of Melrath looming far in the distance. He could feel the Saun heat contrasting with the cool upper winds. Meanwhile, his legs were getting stiff and cramped up from riding so long without rest. Usually his flights had been much shorter and broken down into smaller stints. This was completely different, but it seemed as though Sinir had done long distance journeys before. His mount seemed a little less prone to bucking or playful swoops, and instead reserving energy for stamina and endurance.

Although Brent was certainly getting stiff from the long riding, it was more a contest between Navyri and Sinir for who faltered first. When Navyri called out, Brent was momentarily surprised, so used to the constant flap of wings. But nevertheless, he awkwardly guided Sinir down towards the ground with a mix of pulling at the reins and guiding left or right to the clearing the winged lady had pointed out. The landing was jarring, and Brent nearly fell off the side of his mount, so used to the smooth ride of flight. When he finally dismounted, he was practically waddling from being saddle sore, and spent a couple minutes just stretching his legs.

She looked more exhausted than she had let on. After Brent took off the heaviest pieces of gear strapped to the sleipnir, he coiled the reins around the saddle horn and let the creature go on its own to graze. He settled himself down on the grass next to Navyri, looking up at the brilliant blue sky.

“Muffin?”

He had brought the brown bag and took out a simple bun for himself while offering the bag to Navyri. He also had a handful of dried strips of meat, some cured with salt and others in honey. “And some meat to keep your strength up.”

He sat up a little. She looked so peaceful with her wings framing her features, calm against the grassy ground. “Water? I’m sure there’s a stream or something nearby to refill.” He added and held out his waterskin.

“At this rate, we probably won’t be sleeping in Melrath tonight. The gates are probably an hour away at best. I’m guessing that you’ll be glad to be rid of Melrath.”

She took his offerings with what seemed to be appreciation. He could never quite tell with Navyri and there had been times in the past when her mood had changed rapidly without much rhyme or reason. Brent was tired himself, and as he leaned back on his arms, he stretched out his sore legs.

She had liked Melrath.

Brent didn’t believe he even knew half of what she had been through, and yet that was how she concluded her view on the nation. It was beautiful, for sure. Perhaps other places didn’t have the same majestic mountainsides and rushing rivers? He hoped he would be able to find out for himself and maybe find other places with just as much beauty. Brent gazed off into the distance looking at the dappled leaves and the brilliant blue skies. This was home, and yet there was so much more to life to explore. The suns beat down hard and he was glad of the shade. Glancing over, he saw that Sinir had began picking at the low bushes around the trees.

Do you want to stay the night?

The question caught him by surprise and he looked over at Navyri curiously trying to gauge her intentions. One more night in Melrath. It wasn’t what he had thought she would want. But she provided good reasons. If she really had been flying since they had parted that night, she would be utterly exhausted. It was still afternoon, but they didn’t need to be anywhere in particular, at any given time. Brent shifted and stretched his legs again at the mention of being sore. He wasn’t used to the constant riding, that was true. Yet on a more practical note, it would make more sense to stay one more night within the safe valley of Melrath and only venture beyond after a good night’s rest with both of them feeling fresh. Despite learning the basics of a bow and arrow, he suspected that he would have to rely on Navyri’s abilities should some serious danger emerge on the road.

“It may be prudent to stay one more night in Melrath,” he replied in a calm and calculated manner. “I could take first watch while you rest for the afternoon and come nightfall we can switch. I’m frequently up early and I don’t mind taking a second watch before the first sun rises.”

Brent bit into the salted jerky and nodded to himself. “There’s no need to pass beyond the gates while still exhausted. Nor do we need to turn this journey into a sprint. We already covered a lot of ground and it’s probably best to travel in the cool mornings anyways.”

As the Melrathi finished up the lunch of dried meat, his eyes couldn’t help but wander over to the winged lady’s form. Sore body, sore wings. There was part of him that wanted to ease her pain and a more selfish part that wanted to enjoy what he saw.

Abruptly, Brent got up and staggered over to where his sleipnir was grazing.

The winged horse still had its saddle, bit and reins in place. Since they were planning to stop for much longer and stay the night, it would be worth it to properly unsaddle the horse. At first the creature was restless, and Brent had to run after it a couple of times to finally get a solid hold of the saddle to begin removing it. Afterwards, Sinir seemed glad of it and relinquished the riding pad and reins much more easily. Brent rubbed the horse down, paying special attention to between the wings. Sinir seemed to trust Brent, but that didn’t mean the creature was completely loyal. Only time and care would earn that.

Guiding the sleipnir back a little towards where Navyri lay, Brent drained the last of the waterskin into his only pot so that the winged horse could drink. He glanced briefly at Navyri but then continued his attentions on his mount, checking its feathers, looking for fleas, giving its muscles a good rub down and untangling a part of its mane that was matted.

“Do you need any help with a tent?” Brent asked, almost as an afterthought. “Otherwise, I’ll set up camp while you rest.”

Shaken from her sleep, she looked around in a panic. Brent couldn’t help but take a step back. Her eyes were still wild as she reoriented. It was a look he hadn’t seen in her before. Not really. And while she had spoken of her experiences in Melrath, they had seemed almost… removed, or detached. Like they were just stories. And yet with that wild and panicked look… His eyebrows narrowed in concern and he patiently waited for her to compose herself.

After she accepted his offer to help, he briefly led Sinir over to a tree and looped the reins around one of the branches. He had long given up trying to properly restrain the sleipnir, but he could always ‘request’ it to stay put. As he strode back to Navyri, he could see that she was pulling something out that took up almost the entire bag. Plus poles, and stakes, and a hammer, and a bedroll, pillows… His eyes first narrowed in confusion, then widened in surprise. With a slight roll of his eyes, he realized he had mistakenly given her the respect of a prudent traveler. Yet it was no use berating her, and he decided to take an alternate approach.

“I see that you have packed like a lady,” he said with a teasing grin. “And if you had your way, you would have had me pack like one too.”

Brent noticed the slight hesitation Navyri had when she assessed the tent canvas and poles. He crouched down next to the tent components and also noticed some small lengths of rope and ties for fastening them together.

“Looks like the traveling will be far from miserable,” he replied with a wink as he glanced over at Navyri and her tumbling pile of ‘comforts’. Taking two of the poles in his hands he looked at how they might be fastened and then opened up some of the canvas material to see the overall shape of the tent.

“I’ll get the tent set up. Shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. There’s only so many ways a pole can fit into a slot. Why don’t you get us some fresh water? And I’ll place the tent in this area that you cleared.”

Brent gestured to the area that she had kicked away some stones and sticks where the tent fabric was laid flat. He also started counting out the wooden stakes so he could get a sense of their spacing.

So long as she agreed for him to help set it up, he would begin right away, enjoying the simple craftsmanship. Starting with the poles, he determined which ones were to be horizontal, which were vertical posts and which needed to be placed at an angle. This was pretty simple geometry based on the sizes of the poles and the dimensions of the canvas. He started at the bottom and worked his way up, tying the poles together with thin lengths of rope. Once the frame was built, he was able to attached the fabric to it. Overall the tent was much bigger than his own. Clearly suited for a lady. Lastly, Brent checked that the tent was sufficiently free-standing before hammering in the stakes to give it additional support and strength against any wind. At the same time, he checked that the canvas was folded outwards to prevent water from seeping in.